WHAT?  Mantegna - The Triumphs of Caesar 

WHERE?  The National Gallery, Room 14, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN

WHEN?  Now ongoing for a period of two years.  Free to visit  

WHY GO?  To treasure pomp and glory. These paintings are as grandiose as it gets, on loan from the King’s Mantega Gallery at Hampton Court while the Palace undergoes maintenance.

They glorify the great Julius Caesar ,embellishing his triumphant military might on an epic scale. 

The original series of nine paintings were acquired some 400 years ago by the art loving ill fated King Charles 1, and have been in Hampton Court's Lower Orangery since the 1920’s. 

While Mantegna might not be as well known as other Renaissance artists such as Rubens or Van Dyck, his magnificent Caesar series cements his name in art history. 

Six are now on show (for free) at the National Gallery and they are majestic in all their pomp and glory. 

Powerful, imposing, and packed with classical references, it’s easy to see why Kings wanted to own such imagery to reinforce their status and absolute authority. 

IN THE KNOW 

Julius Caesar needs no introduction as the focus of classical antiquity.  The all powerful statesman triumphed in the Gallic wars,  invaded Britain twice, had the month of July named after him, and yet after all that, was brutally slain at the hands of the Roman senators thus sparking a dialogue with literature, through Shakespeare’s most famous play.